i fish a trailer hook with the front hook cut off. i don't see anything but lipped hooked fish with this setup (i hate fishing a 2 hook rig for coho... imo it just tears them up). i feel that unlike under the surface, coho love to nip at topwater flies and having the hook back there really increases the number of solid hookups.

i use a banger head vs. a dink float for my sliders. from my perspective it floats and wakes better (and the cost difference.... those damn dinks are too expensive imo) plus if you find some bursting rockfish you can make it pop. i'll have to take a photo of one and post it here sometime. i'm sure you can guess the color <g>

the topwater action has been good lately, although i really don't get to do it too much. the last day i saw you on the water i had two coho completely strip out my poppers (hook and popper head).... i'll have to tie less quickly next time.